Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

[newbie4life]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

I've had two bowriders... and then a pontoon. Pontoon we got for CHEAP and restored - new floor, seats, carpet, vinyl, sides, and new bimini top... tore apart the yamaha 40, replaced all the gas lines, carb kits. I don't think I have more than $2000 in the entire thing -- and would do it again in a heartbeat. We LOVE the pontoon vs. the bowrider... and yes... it will pull a tube, not as well as a boat, but kids still smile from ear to ear when you do.

Just my $.02!

Jason

 

[WaterDR]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

Deck boat is a good option too. However, you hardley see them anymore. Toons have just over-taken them in sales in big time. Yet still great platforms.

I look on CL a lot, and here are three listings that are what I would call good and representative deals in my neck of the woods and in different price ranges:

This one is around 12/13 years old and in the $9k range with a 40 hp. I see these all day long and can be 8k or 11k depending on size, brand, and condition.
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/bod/3065931298.html

This one, a little newer and cost a bit more:
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ram/bod/3065667312.html

This one is a 2006 with a 60hp:
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ram/bod/3065667312.html

I think this one is a nice buy. Great looking boat and with a 115. You pay more....over 18k:
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/boa/3064792319.html

I am also seeing a lot of new boats....brand new ones with 60hp big foots for under 20k.....some even in the 15k range or lower. Sylvan has a Mirage Cruise 20 footer that my local dealer sold for under 15k out the door. They had dozens of them. Our local Bennington dealer has a similar boat for $16k. Bentley has made a huge comeback in this area. Dealers can not keep them in inventory at all. You can spend under 20k for a very nicely equipped boat. They seem to be always packaged too with no hidden costs....I respect that.

Anyway, some of these boats listed above if treated well, will still be worth 8, 9k or more even after 10 years or more. I don't have a crystal ball. But as long as fuel prices are increasing, the need and desire for people to want boat and be on a platform that they can just hang out and not have to go 40 mph will only increase.

While re-building a boat would be fun, I lack the time, space, etc.... needed to do that. I just want to be on the water and have no issues. Turn the key and go. Our summers are very busy as my daughter plays about 60 softball games and when we are home and want to go boating, we just want to go. A break-down can take weeks to resolve.

Good luck in your search!

 

[Restless22]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

We are going to look at 88 Wellcraft Aruba sport cruiser today, but the pontoon with the bigger engine is attractive. That Aruba looks to be expensive to operate, but I know the history, it comes with a hydro lift and a reserved slip at the marina here where I want to be.

Never has a purchase been so daunting!

 

[1986bassbuggy$@]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

Coming from someone that has had both with a family you want a pontoon I have a three yr old and wife and theres plenty of room for more people or just to move around. I have a propane / Charcol grill ,live well, couches, binimi top, accent lighting and can comfortabley fit atleast 7 people and fit up to 10 by limit this gives enough room for grand parents as well, this I have found to be a big plus with younger kids.

 

[imported_John o]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

If 20 MPH is not fast enough for you, then you do not want a pontoon. Yes -- putting enough power on a cement boat can make it fast but pontoons are slow cruisers. Great family boats -- just not quick with 40 - 60 HP. They are roomy and safe. If water skiing and serious water toy towing lights your fire then you want a planing hull like a deck boat or standard V-hull runabout. They are quick, sexy, but far less roomy.

Todays pontoons are not grandpa's boat anymore. They can be very quick and manueverable. I have a 24' Manitou Osprey Pro SHP fishing pontoon with a 175 hp Yamaha on it. I top out at 39.6MPH and can do donuts in either direction at speed. And I'm not even the fastest pontoon on my lake.

But you do pay for this level of performance.

Check out www.pontoonforums.com. They are the pontoon experts. One thing they will tell you is get all teh motor you can afford. No one has ever complained about having too big a motor.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

But you do pay for this level of performance.

That's the rub in this case.

 

[doug0734]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

Had both types of boats. If you need the speed, get the v -hull or a bow rider. With the bow rider we would spend hours on the water. With the pontoon we would spend the entire day. On the pontoon the mother in law could be 20 feet away instead of the other side of the cockpit, as with a bowrider. Good Luck

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

We have a 24ft pontoon boat and there is only two of us plus I'm 70 and my wife is a little younger. The pontoon boat is nice with the 90 hp two stroke Merc.I trailer it.What I don't like is unloading it and loading it from the trailer. Not and easy task. Last year I put on those plastic skids over the bunks hoping the boat would slide off better, it didn't. We had a 21 ft bow rider before that. It had a 350 cu I/o ,It wasn't as roomy but it would fly. and pull water skiers. It was a fun boat. We had to go to a pontoon boat as we got older so we could climb into the boat Now we carry an 8ft ladder so we can get into it from the ground up and from the water in. I guess the answer to all this is have people join you when out in the boat young people. (helpers)

 

[Restless22]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

I ended up buying the 1988 Wellcraft Aruba 23' Cruiser. Yes, it's old, but it only has 335 hours, has a small head/shower, cabin AC, and included the hydro lift and slip paid until next May. $6500 for all and a half a tank of gas and a day of training from the seller. The boat is a 2 owner craft, and has always lived on a hydro lift when not in use. The hull looks great!

We love the marina community, amenities, and we love our boat. I'm learning as much as I can, and I can picture my wife and I retiring to a house boat here in a few years.

Boating may have made my marriage and my family unit both closer and stronger.

 

[The Rooster]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

Congratulations "Restless". Have a great time w/ your new rig !!!

 

[Restless22]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

Thanks! I'm going to be a sponge on boating, and I will be a good neighbor and I hope that I can be a great ambassador for the boat owners and Fire Department.

I have plans and am building support for a Fire Boat for our area.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

Hey, great choice Restless. You can put what I know about glass boats in a cup holder, but the fact that the seller is going to be around for you like that is a really good sign. Did you get a survey?

 

[slag]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

We are having a similar discussion in our household right now. We currently own a 1989 Regal 185 with the 3.0 liter engine and it runs well but with 5 of us in the family, there is little room to move around, especially if we wanted to bring our dog with us. We mainly cruise around and then anchor and dive/swim a lot. Sometimes we pull tubes, but my kids are 4, 9, and 11, and aren't really into waterskiing yet. I proposed the idea of picking up a pontoon that we could swim off, fish off, anchor out in a cove on the lake all day and just have fun on, and they are warming up to the idea. Would also like to get a grill so we can cook on it, and just in general, spend quality family time. Maybe in a few more years we'll get another bowrider, but they are definitely considering picking up a pontoon now. Just have to find the right one. Ideally, it would be 20-24 feet, at least a 48 hp engine, bimini cover, and possibly needing work over the winter. In the midwest, something like that should run me between 2800-5k, depending on the year, motor size, and overall condition.

 

[palace]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

You are all wrong, a deck boat will give him the best combination of space and speed/power for water fun. That is my 2 cents!

 

[jkust]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

Congrats on the boat and making a decision.

 

[Water logged]

Re: Pontoon over Bowrider as First Boat?

What new boat? I don't see no pictures. No pictures no boat.

congratulations and well done anyway.

Glenn